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Share this Story: Brett Kissel playing drive-thru charity concert in River Cree parking lot June 13

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As we cautiously move from our living rooms back into the real world, the idea of watching live concerts huddled together like baby owls still seems a long way off in terms of plain sensibility during a COVID-19 pandemic which has not even globally peaked, with no available vaccine in sight.

But like so many of us, Brett Kissel is kicking at the chute, and the Edmonton country singer is jumping on the trend already exemplified by Keith Urban last week in Watertown, Tenn.: drive-in concerts.

Brett Kissel playing drive-thru charity concert in River Cree parking lot June 13Back to video

And really, what could be more Albertan than listening to country music in your truck?

“One of the greatest ways to bring people together is through music — it’s been amazing,” says Kissel over the phone. “It’s what I love to do. And before COVID-19 it was a specialty for me, you bring people together, you get paid, and you have an epic Saturday night.

“Well, that’s gone now.”

But in the spirit of so much other innovation in the arts, Brett Kissel — Live at the Drive-In will take place in the sprawling parking lot of River Cree Resort and Casino just west of Edmonton in Enoch Cree Nation 7 p.m., June 13.

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Kissel admits he’s never been to a movie at a drive-in — the idea of them slowly dried up since their mid-century heyday — so the singer especially excited to go to his first where he actually gets to be the show.

“And it happens to be the first of its kind for Canadian country music,” he says with a smile you can hear stretch out over the phone. “It’s pretty cool.”

The staging of the fundraiser concert is being supported by Safeway Canada, which will also help get 100 per cent of the event’s ticket sales to Food Banks Alberta.

It’s been a while since I could announce a proper concert, so this is exciting: tickets are $50 per vehicle (plus our old friend service charges) and those go on sale 10 a.m. Monday through ticketmaster.ca — maximum 180 ticket-holder vehicles.

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But additional performances will be added if the idea takes off, eh.

“Doing this for charity is 100 per cent the right call, and it’s what I wanted to do from the get-go. This isn’t about me, this isn’t about making money, this is about raising spirits and raising money for people who need it most.”

Concert attendees will also be encouraged to ‘text to donate’ to Food Banks Alberta and Safeway Canada will match donations up to $25,000 over the course of the concert.

Seemingly unlike the downtown bars where people have huddled together smoking outside, this concert’s organizers have worked alongside Alberta Health Services and Health Canada to ensure that all health guidelines and safety measures for proper social distancing are in place and adhered to, for the safety of all concert guests, performers and staff.

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“I’m lucky as the entertainer,” Kissel laughs. “I get to roam around the stage. My band, they all have to be behind Plexiglas. So we’re building a stage that will keep everybody isolated. Everyone has to set up their own stuff, everybody has to enter at a separate time.

“I can’t interact with my band members. That’s what’s going to be comical, awkward — when the fiddler does a solo I go right up to him and we go back to back and we party. But that’s how it goes in this era of social distancing.”

This includes no getting out and dancing. “Correct,” he notes.

Because there are no washrooms on site, the show will only run about an hour. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m so cooped up I would play for 24 hours, if I could.”

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